Don’t know if Kohli should be burdened with captaincy, says Graeme Smith
FORMER SOUTH AFRICA skipper Graeme Smith opined that he is unsure whether Virat Kohli is a long-term captaincy option for India.
Smith reckoned that India needs to see if they have a better leader in the squad and relieve the prolific batsman from the burden of captaincy. As reported by ESPNCricinfo, the South Africa veteran said,
“I don’t know, when I look at him, if he is a long-term captaincy option for India. At the end of this year, he’d have been away from home for a while, the pressure he’ll face, the scrutiny from the press – I know he only gets that in India – but if you’re away from home and you’re struggling for form as a team, I don’t know if I’d want to burden Virat Kohli with that… Or if India have a better leader in that environment.”
Smith said that while his intensity suits his gameplay, Kohli will have to consider how his reactions affect the players around of him.
“We all know he’s an outstanding player, his intensity really benefits his own personal game, he loves that confrontation, that intensity brings the best out of him. Sometimes as a leader you’ve got to consider how you impact the others in the environment, that’s an area of his leadership that he needs to grow. You can see, he’s often at his players. He’s very aware, he’s focus on the game is on, sweeping or mid-on. [But] often his reaction to situations… I think that can sometimes impact on your team negatively. We all know how powerful Virat Kohli is in world cricket, in Indian cricket. For him, he’s built this aura and for him maybe to find a level where he can connect with all his players, to get to a level where can get the Indian team to be as successful as he is, that’s something that he, when I watch him, is grappling with.”
India will get into the third and the final Test against South Africa at Johannesburg, starting January 24. The visitors are 2-0 down in the series.
Get the latest in the world of Sports, Teams, and Players! Free Delivery to your Inbox.
